THE Irish Language continues to take centre stage as a new, award-winning Irish language short film gains high praise.

Poleglass-born filmmaker and actor Joseph Pierce Jones (Seosamh Mac Seoin) is the face behind the recent success of the Irish language short film ‘Uilíoch’.

Uilíoch – meaning Universal – is a short film set during the Troubles which explores the depths of grief. 

Joseph, who acted in, directed and wrote the film,stars alongside Finlidh Ó hUallacháin in the film, which tells the story of a man reflecting on his childhood and the trauma he experienced growing up. Through a series of flashbacks, the audience captures glimpses of the man’s younger self and come towards an understanding of the events that shaped his life.

The film – developed by NEMETON TV and supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta – poses the question: How does something that brings silence create so much noise? 

Joseph shared his delight after Uilíoch won the Best Live Action Short Film at the Cinemagic On The Pulse film festival in Belfast.

2Gallery

“It was the only Irish language film out of all 14 finalists,” Joseph told the Andersonstown News.

“It has been selected to be screened at film festivals in Los Angeles, Cork, Manchester, and Sweden.”

This month saw Joseph travel to Los Angeles for the screening of the film at the Irish Film Showcase at the Contemporary Irish Arts Centre Los Angeles. The showcase included acclaimed films like the Oscar-nominated An Cailín Ciúin, as well as the Oscar-winning short An Irish Goodbye.

“I was living in New York for seven years and attended the Neighbourhood Playhouse School of Theatre. In July, I moved back to Ireland and I am based in Dublin now,” saiJoseph.

“I have always wanted to do a film in Irish. When I moved abroad, I thought I would be in New York forever, but Covid came. I improved my Irish again and because of that journey everything changed. It felt really natural to do the film in Irish.

“The story is about sadness and grief and I wanted to do a story with importance and with heart. I speak in Irish every day and it was important to me to tell the story through the lens of the Irish language.”